Shameless Gangster - Chapter 14.1

Title: Give yourself some room for whatever you do in case we meet again

The next day Han Jia slept until noon only to wake up confused.

The drug that was given to him was indeed over the recommended amount and made him feel dizzy and uncomfortable. He lied on the bed unwilling to open his eyes and only turned over to get in a better position.

Just as his hand stretched out, it hit something warm – clearly, it was a human body.

He froze as the memory of yesterday flooded into his mind like a huge tidal wave; he suddenly gasped in shock before his eyes shot open.

Jiang Xiaoning sat cross-legged at the side of the bed with a book on his leg, looking at him expressionlessly.

Han Jia’s hand happened to touch his calf that was exposed from his gym shorts.

The scene was rather unexpected. Han Jia stared at Jiang Xiaoning without any reaction for quite some time, even forgetting to remove his hand that was still on his body.

Jiang Xiaoning seemed to not mind this and only looked down at him and spoke with a cold tone, “What are you nervous about?”

Han Jia then remembered to take his hand away and returned to his senses, and as he turned to sit up, he said: “How come you’re here?”

Hearing that, Jiang Xiaoning’s complexion changed drastically to that of ease, “You don’t remember? Who did you think I was?”

Just as Han Jia got up halfway, he was stunned to find himself naked; he paused and turned to look at Jiang Xiaoning.

That look provoked immediate anger out of Jiang Xiaoning who very stiffly said, “I didn’t touch you!”

Han Jia stared at his extremely round and angry eyes and couldn’t help but laugh out loud, “I know.” His tone also warmed out, “Did you help me get up here last night?”

Jiang Xiaoning nodded and then quickly added, “I carried you up.”

“Have you been taking care of me the entire time? You took a leave of absence from school?” Han Jia thought about it and then reached out to rub Jiang Xiaoning’s hair; stared at him and smiled, “Thank you.”

Jiang Xiaoning’s expression was usually strange; there was an unconvincing look still lingering in his eyes as if wanting to shove away Han Jia’s hand that was rubbing his hair, but then again, his face brightened up making him look seemingly quite elated.

In the end, this young man sat very uncomfortably stiff; his eyes swept elsewhere then returned and he abruptly asked: “What happened yesterday?”

“It’s better if you don’t ask,” Han Jia smiled and withdrew his hand. He glanced at Jiang Xiaoning then wrapped the bed sheet around himself and got off the bed; walking barefooted toward the wardrobe and rummaging through his clothes.

Jiang Xiaoning snorted and remained silent for a moment before he disdainfully spoke from behind, “What are you putting on airs for? You know all about my affairs, I also want to know about yours. Whatever I ask, you have to answer; don’t forget that you owe me.”

Han Jia had already put on trousers and was in the middle of draping on a shirt so when he heard what was said, he laughed. “Yes, I owe you even more since you saved my life yesterday.” He buttoned his shirt and looked over and simply put it, “A bastard drugged me, and I scared him away – that’s it. What else do you want to know?”

Jiang Xiaoning frowned and asked, “Is that the person who touched you?”

His appearance as he was in deep contemplation was absolutely adorable in Han Jia’s eyes, to the extent that he actually had a moment of staring into space before finally shifting his sight elsewhere. “Many people have touched me, which one are you talking about?”

Those words flared up Jiang Xiaoning immediately and his voice increased exponentially. “How can you…how…you can’t just…can’t… being like this will provoke others to drug you!”

When you think about it, this was actually a bit hurtful, but when Jiang Xiaoning rushed to furiously say that sentence, seeming to have completely forgotten that he had also been drugged. Coupled with him stammering, Han Jia had thought he would say “shameless” or “careless” or something else, so when that didn’t happen, he couldn’t help but want to laugh. However, afraid that the laughter would make Jiang Xiaoning explode, he covered his lower half, crouched down and picked up the bedsheet that he had just thrown to the floor.

Han Jia did not speak, Xiaoning also did not talk; that was followed by a period of silence. When he carried the bed sheet, intending to walk out, Jiang Xiaoning was finally unable to bear it and anxiously explained: “I didn’t mean to say that…Han Jia, do you think that I’m like that person and only want to bully you?” Without waiting for Han Jia to answer, he added, “I even made you a meal…you…don’t be sad…”

Han Jia held the sheets and stood still at the same spot looking at him; the thoughts of wanting to laugh all disappeared. He looked at Jiang Xiaoning’s slightly furrowed brows, the distinct black and white of his eyes and the apprehensive and courageous expression that settled there – suddenly, he couldn’t shift his gaze elsewhere.

Jiang Xiaoning waited for his answer, but he was still in a daze; the room fell into a bizarre quietness.

… breaking this quietness was the sound of his cell phone.

Han Jia returned to his senses and followed the sound toward the living room and saw that his phone had been placed on the small coffee table.

He picked it up for a look, and to his surprise, it was a call from Zhou Guoshu; they had not been in contact for some time, and truthfully, Han Jia was in the dark of his purpose as he placed the phone near his ear and greeted cautiously.

“Han Jia, are you okay? I’ve called you several times already…” Zhou Guoshu’s voice seemed to be relieved.

Han Jia frowned, unaware of what he was asking.

Zhou Guoshu’s voice became riddled with a hint of uncertainty, “How come you’re not speaking? Where are you?”

“At the residence,” Han Jia said vaguely and then softened his tone, “You haven’t contacted me in a long while… miss me?”

Zhou Guoshu was silent for about two seconds; his voice revealed a slight awkwardness. “It’s good that you’re okay, then, uh…I already know about what happened yesterday. Zhang Xueming was also a bit confused…luckily, you’re all right, and I’ve already lectured him. Han Jia…umm, for my honor, can you let him go this once?”

What’s going on? Han Jia didn’t know how to react; just two months ago, Zhou Guoshu didn’t know Zhang Xueming at all, yet now, he was actually pleading for him?

His silence made Zhou Guoshu’s voice even more awkward, “Han Jia, you see, since you’ve accompanied ShiJie for the last several times and ShiJie doesn’t really want me to look for you…the boy that I’m seeing now, it was Zhang Xueming who introduced him. This, Zhang Xueming, knows that he has caused trouble…let me ask where he…”

That son of a bitch was actually making extra money behind my back? Trying to stand atop another mountain, huh? Han Jia internally made offensive references to Zhang Xueming’s ancestors while dropping his tone to that of disappointment: “I understand, Zhou Juzhang has a new lover now and is afraid to wrong but not afraid to wrong me…”

Zhou Guoshu immediately spoke: “I know that you’ve been wronged, I feel bad for the both of you…that kid, Zhang Xueming, is indeed not conscientious, and I’ve lectured him for you. What’s more, you now know that he’s taken on his own business; his livelihood will be cut off. If this does not dissolve your anger, beat him up, just don’t kill him…normally I wouldn’t interfere in your internal affairs but just take it as I owe you this time…”

When Han Jia heard up to that point, he already knew that this old bastard was definitely infatuated with the new flame evident with how he insisted on protecting Zhang Xueming. With that, his manner of speaking quickly shifted as he spoke softly, “Then, you have to remember that, I’m doing this for you.”

Zhou Guoshu was highly pleased and repeatedly pledged his appreciation not only with sweet words but also promised some benefits; Han Jia forced himself to act coquettishly for a few sentences and then hung up.

Once the call ended, Han Jia sneered and sat down on the sofa. When he looked up, he saw Jiang Xiaoning standing at the bedroom door looking at him with tightened brows.

Han Jia sighed mentality and waved his phone at Jiang Xiaoning, “You helped me bring it up?”

Jiang Xiaoning walked over and stood beside the sofa, looking at him. “When you were sleeping, I went down to see what happened and saw that your car door was still open…who was that just now?”

Han Jia did not answer and only stared at Jiang Xiaoning to the point that he felt a bit upset before he whispered: “You…saw my back yesterday?”

Jiang Xiaoning was stunned and nodded.

Seeing that, Han Jia leaned back into the sofa and continued to ask, “Are you especially sympathetic towards me?”

Jiang Xiaoning didn’t speak.

Han Jia laughed, “Is that why you’re so nice to me today? Afraid that I thought you were bullying me?” His tone couldn’t help but become gentler, “Jiang Xiaoning, I wouldn’t think that. I’ve done you wrong first and yet you still helped me and took care of me, I only think that you have a very good character – very kindhearted.” Jiang Xiaoning’s eyes widened as he looked at him and even his face was a bit red. Han Jia looked at him and slowly added, “Just like your father.”

That sentence somehow annoyed Jiang Xiaoning and his expression sank immediately – having the kind of temper where everything was written on his face made Han Jia’s smile widened; without waiting for him to speak, he continued: “Such a good kid like you shouldn’t be hanging around with me. You should be with people who are just as good as you—”

“I’m not a kid! And, I also don’t need you to tell me who I should be with!” Jiang Xiaoning’s fury was written across his face, “Don’t even think about hiding from me! I…don’t forget that I have information that can be used against you!”

Han Jia even felt delighted as he watched him flew into a fit of rage, shouting endlessly, and when he was finally done, he said unhurriedly: “I didn’t say that I was going to hide from you.”

Jiang Xiaoning was stunned, “You…didn’t you say…”

Han Jia looked at him: “You have a bad temper which I have already experienced, but I can endure it. You’re quick to be anxious and impulsive with your words, unfortunately, I think it’s cute; sometimes you don’t like to return home, and my place here is considerably comfortable; you’re a student, I will encourage you to study and provide you with everything that you need.” He smiled, “Jiang Xiaoning, I’m not a good person and I owe you twice. You don’t have to sympathize with me, you don’t have to cook for me or be good to me, and you definitely don’t need to ‘get along’ with me. You only need to treat me like…” He tilted his head to think, “A servant, a nanny, a landlord or even a sponsor – they’re all okay.”

He stood up and reached out to Jiang Xiaoning, “I’ll get straight to the point, aside from anything that involves sex, I will do everything else that you want me to do. This is how we are going to get along from now on, okay?”

As he spoke, Jiang Xiaoning was staring at him the entire time; his expression changed from anger to embarrassment and as if he was being confessed to, he turned red in the face before looking unconvinced and reluctant – in the end, he just seemed slightly awkward.

Han Jia’s hand was still stretched out awaiting his answer, however, Jiang Xiaoning took a step back instead. He lowered his head and thought for what seemed like half a day before he looked up. “This… you want to repay a debt of kindness?”

Han Jia laughed again: “And atonement, isn’t this what you’ve always thought?”

Jiang Xiaoning ignored that and looked at him stubbornly, seeking confirmation: “Repaying my kindness, and not my father’s, correct?”

Han Jia held back his smile and spoke seriously, “Correct.”

Jiang Xiaoning remained silent for a moment and then said, “You have to put me first and no one is more important than me.”

Han Jia observed his earnest appearance and also said firmly, “Okay.” When Jiang Xiaoning did not speak, he asked, “There are no other requests? For example, I have to answer whatever questions you ask?”

In truth, he had only meant to tease Jiang Xiaoning, but Jiang Xiaoning looked at him with a pair of undeniably stern eyes. “No, just that one request.”

After he said that, as if afraid that Han Jia would regret it, he stepped forward and held the hand that had stopped in midair and looked at him straight in the eyes.

“Then you have to remember that I am the most important, more important than my father, more important than all your lovers.”

Chapter end